Interactive books and online courses – a comparison

The difference between online courses and interactive books in an overview could be recalled as rather vague. However, while an interactive book is an extended version of the traditional eBook or even a printed book. Where the book’s traditional features of deep learning and a learner that often goes back and forth between the chapters are complemented with interactive features. It focuses more on activating the learner and adapting to her requirements of flexibility, personally chosen learning paths and repetition.

Online Courses

While an online course has a starting point and a linear path towards the end that corresponds to the work process of the old industrial society’s assembly lines. If you are creating a curriculum this is basically the structure you would use. Preferably with some form of grading system at the end of the course. But if it should include any form of deep learning a combination of an online course and an interactive book is the best solution.

Interactive books

Where the interactive book produces understanding and further curiosity of the subject field as an important driving force. The goals are not necessarily integrated within the format, although it could e.g. with an integrated gamification system. While the online course format is more directed on the process and reaching integrated goals.